Tuesday, February 05, 2013

In
a meeting with APTA yesterday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
(CMS) clarified the impact of the therapy cap on patients who receive
outpatient therapy services in critical access hospitals (CAHs). CMS stated
that for 2013, when a patient receives outpatient therapy services from a
critical access hospital, the services will count toward dollars accrued toward
the therapy cap. For example, if a patient receives $2,000 of outpatient
therapy services in a CAH and upon discharge goes to a private practice to
continue therapy services, the private practice would need to obtain an
exception (in this case use the KX modifier).

However,
CMS clarified that for 2013 the therapy cap does not apply to outpatient
therapy services provided within CAHs themselves. This means that if the
patient continued treatment in the critical access hospital, after exceeding
$1,900 in therapy services, there would be no need to seek an exception through
the automatic process. That is, the CAH would not need to submit the claim with
a KX modifier. Also, if the patient exceeds $3,700 and continues care in CAH,
the hospital would not need to obtain an exception through the manual medical
review process.

APTA
had been seeking clarification on this issue from CMS since the January 1
passage of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (HR 8), which extended the
current 2-tier therapy cap exceptions process through 2013. The agency advised
APTA last month that it was working with its general counsel for interpretation
of the legislative language.

Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Senate Report Includes APTA Comments on Self Referral

APTA's comments to the Senate
Finance Committee's May 2012 request for input from health care stakeholders on
3 areas critical to Medicare and Medicaid reforms—program integrity, payments, and enforcement—have
been included in the committee's recently released report
titled "Opportunities to Curb Waste, Fraud and Abuse in Medicare and
Medicaid."

Specifically,
the Senate Finance Committee writes about eliminating self referral in 2
sections of the report. Under the Beneficiary Protection section, the committee
notes "concern that over-broad application of the Stark law exception for
physician in-office ancillary services compromises patient care by
incentivizing overutilization." The committee references "increasing
enforcement of existing laws, such as the Stark law" under the area titled
Enforcement.

More
than 160 stakeholders in the health care community submitted comments to the
Senate Finance Committee's request. During the 113th Congress, 6 Senators plan to work
with key committees of jurisdiction, the Government Accountability Office, the
Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, and
interested stakeholders to develop a more detailed list of administrative
recommendations and potential legislative actions.

APTA's
comments can be found on the association's Self Referral webpage.

Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Indiana PT Day Focuses on Direct Access

More
than 530 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and physical
therapy students from Indiana gathered at the statehouse on January 30 to show
their support for HB 1034, which would provide direct access to physical
therapists. Over 50 legislators joined the members of the physical therapy
profession for lunch and to discuss the bill.

State
Sen Pat Miller and state Reps Dave Frizzell and Matt Ubelhor spoke to the crowd
and confirmed their commitment to passing direct access legislation. Indiana is
1 of only 3 states with no form of direct access to physical therapy treatment,
and the only state without direct access to a physical therapy evaluation. Many
Indiana Chapter members held signs with the messages: "49 states allow you
to see your PT directly … not Indiana" and "Hoosiers deserve direct
access to physical therapists."

The
House Public Health Committee hearing for HB 1034 will be held February 6. The
chapter is coordinating a team of chapter members to speak in support of the
bill. If it is approved by the committee, the bill would then go to the full
House of Representatives for consideration.